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The Rings of Power

Started by Tank, September 05, 2022, 02:02:38 PM

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Tank

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

It really is a 'Marmite' show with 57% of 90,997 people loving it or hating it. I rated it a sold 8. It is the most divisive pole that I have seen on IMDB.

If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Asmodean

Yep. Kind of difficult to discern who exactly it is for.

I have not rated it beyond my score based on category in that other thread here, but I think I'm somewhere 2-ish out of 5. 4/10? Mmh... Yeah. Sure.

Mind you, 4 is not that bad - it's the lower end of mediocre, in fact. However, a billion. Fucking. Dollars. AND one of the more intricate high fantasy settings to draw from. It's just nowhere near good enough.

The audience score on Rotten Tomatoes seems to agree, though it's them tomatoes - can't really believe anything that comes from there. Still, I have seen probably fake one stars AND five, so... The question is; how do they balance against each other?

To be clear, I don't see how this is a one-out-of-something show, unless it's like... 1/3. However, I don't see how it's max-out-of-something either, so both extremes make me suspicious, although I suppose someone who doesn't give a toss and just enjoys it may give it a max, while someone, for whom, say, Galadriel being a bit of a bitch is a deal breaker may give it a one, disregarding the few redeeming features it does have.
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on July 25, 2013, 08:18:52 PM
In Asmo's grey lump,
wrath and dark clouds gather force.
Luxembourg trembles.

jumbojak

It's not bad, it's just not particularly great. Given the following that the books and movies have, it's understandable that it wouldn't live up to the very high bar set already.

"Amazing what chimney sweeping can teach us, no? Keep your fire hot and
your flue clean."  - Ecurb Noselrub

"I'd be incensed by your impudence were I not so impressed by your memory." - Siz

Asmodean

I would argue that it is indeed bad for what it is. Possibly-acceptable for just another generic high fantasy. Listen to the elves talk; it screams "talentless try-hard" of the writers. Look at hobbits (do let us nevermind them not even being supposed to be there OR the rights issue in naming) looking like a bunch of comedic-effect bums. Look at the way the show treats Elrond - a child of royal bloodlines. Look at the wise Galadriel being a Bruce Willis with boobs and a vendetta.

I do mean to do a full walkthrough, it's just... Where do I even start?!
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on July 25, 2013, 08:18:52 PM
In Asmo's grey lump,
wrath and dark clouds gather force.
Luxembourg trembles.

Tom62

I think that this YouTube review sums it up quite nicely

The universe never did make sense; I suspect it was built on government contract.
Robert A. Heinlein

Asmodean

Hmm... I was watching a other YT video, where it was pointed out that IMDB is owned by Amazon. Amazon has been suppressing reviews on Prime for quite some time, so... I'm suddenly a little sceptical of their numbers. I wonder if for once in the history of ever, Rotten Tomatoes is actually good for something..? (Their 3.5+ score is around 40% - I can see that being the case)
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on July 25, 2013, 08:18:52 PM
In Asmo's grey lump,
wrath and dark clouds gather force.
Luxembourg trembles.

Asmodean

Watched the third episode this weekend, and I can officially say that I have progressed from watching to hate-watching.

This is not only bad for something "based" on Tolkien's work - by this point, it's bad generic high fantasy. It may have been fair enough low budget fan fiction - for what it is, on the other hand? A failure.

In an attempt to be at least somewhat balanced though, I have to point out that in my opinion, it's still nowhere near as bad an atrocity as The Wheel Of Time series was, although it does manage to ass-rape its IP creator's corpse just as viciously. Do pardon the colourful turn of phrase, though I stand firmly on the hill of my linguistic choices here.
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on July 25, 2013, 08:18:52 PM
In Asmo's grey lump,
wrath and dark clouds gather force.
Luxembourg trembles.

Tank

I suggest you don't watch any more then as I suspect you may explode.
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Asmodean

Yeah, that will be posted in great detail for everyone's amusement.

I'll do a season review - which means I'll have to watch this garbage two-three times more. Who knows what gems I've missed the first time, that I shall uncover?
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on July 25, 2013, 08:18:52 PM
In Asmo's grey lump,
wrath and dark clouds gather force.
Luxembourg trembles.

Tank

You are a glutton for punishment! :rofl:
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Asmodean

#10
The Asmo shall review. And then He shall smite. Possibly in the reverse order. Possibly at the same time.

Perhaps I just expect too much from the likes of Amazon in this, but then, it's not some no-name franchise. It's Lord of the Rings. Should I not expect excellence in storytelling under that brand? It would be like paying for a new Porsche, only to discover that underneath it's just a really old, nasty, low-budget family hatchback. Sure, it's all polished and all the rust is spray-painted over, and goes from A to B-ish, but the brand demands so much more.

I don't yet have the raging hate-boner for this show that the Tolkien (and, in part, Jackson) fandom seems to, but... I'm rapidly getting there.

I think I'll do a season review of the House of the Dragon as well. That one... I can't decide if it is mediocre, a masterpiece or a mediocre masterpiece. I'm enjoying it thus far, however the way Game of Thrones soured so quickly and viciously leaves that enjoyment with a bit of a bitter after-taste.
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on July 25, 2013, 08:18:52 PM
In Asmo's grey lump,
wrath and dark clouds gather force.
Luxembourg trembles.

billy rubin

Quote from: jumbojak on September 05, 2022, 08:04:48 PMIt's not bad, it's just not particularly great. Given the following that the books and movies have, it's understandable that it wouldn't live up to the very high bar set already.

wgile excellent, the motion pictures couldnt live up to the books. they failed sevela times when attempting to add to or depart from the original characters


tolkien scored a triple twenty with the trilogy. he did everything right. no way to improve it


"I cannot understand the popularity of that kind of music, which is based on repetition. In a civilized society, things don't need to be said more than three times."

Tank

Quote from: billy rubin on September 19, 2022, 05:21:49 PM
Quote from: jumbojak on September 05, 2022, 08:04:48 PMIt's not bad, it's just not particularly great. Given the following that the books and movies have, it's understandable that it wouldn't live up to the very high bar set already.

wgile excellent, the motion pictures couldnt live up to the books. they failed sevela times when attempting to add to or depart from the original characters


tolkien scored a triple twenty with the trilogy. he did everything right. no way to improve it

Agreed.
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

jumbojak

I was wrong. It's bad. Really, really bad.

"Amazing what chimney sweeping can teach us, no? Keep your fire hot and
your flue clean."  - Ecurb Noselrub

"I'd be incensed by your impudence were I not so impressed by your memory." - Siz

Asmodean

Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on July 25, 2013, 08:18:52 PM
In Asmo's grey lump,
wrath and dark clouds gather force.
Luxembourg trembles.